In October 2023, the footbridge crossing the River Trent on the popular Aston to Burston trail near Stone collapsed into the river following heavy rainfall and raised water levels.
The bridge collapse is believed to have been at least partially caused by a tree adjacent to the bridge that collapsed into the river in April 2023. It appears the tree may have been pushed downstream by raised river levels into the bridge, sweeping it into the river.
The bridge collapse means that the public footpath that went across it is no longer usable. This has impacted many locals who regularly use the footpath for dog walking, hiking, running, and bird-spotting in the nearby marsh area.
The County Council’s rights of way department posted closure notices for the bridge in October 2023, stating that the path was closed with a closure review after six months if repairs had not been completed. In May 2024, the closure notice was extended for another twelve months (until May 2025) with permission from the Secretary of State.
Staffordshire County Council acknowledge that the bridge collapse is under review for repair but has no publicly available remediation plans or timelines. This has left many local path users extremely disappointed by the apparent lack of progress with the bridge repairs. A local Facebook group has been created for interested local users of the path to focus their efforts on ensuring the county council is aware of the impact and strength of feeling around the ongoing bridge closure.
If other local users of the path are interested in joining the efforts to raise awareness of this issue and tracking any progress, they are welcome to join the new Facebook group. The group can be found by searching for “Aston To Burston Trail Bridge” on Facebook or visiting the following web address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/297468280022691/
